Al Jarreau, seven-time Grammy-winning singer, dies at 76

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jhm731

Grammy-winning jazz singer Al Jarreau died Sunday just days after announcing his retirement from touring due to exhaustion.

Jarreau, 76, died in a Los Angeles hospital Sunday morning with family and friends present, according to a statement from his manager published by Ebony Magazine.

A statement on his website said Thursday that Jarreau was hospitalized and “improving slowly.” The statement said Jarreau’s medical team has told him he couldn’t perform any of his remaining concert dates. It said Jarreau was retiring from touring “with complete sorrow.”

Jarreau was scheduled to perform Feb. 24 at the Genesee Theater in Waukegan.

Jarreau won seven Grammys over a 50-year career. His biggest single was 1981’s “We’re in This Love Together.” Jarreau was a vocalist on the all-star 1985 track, “We Are the World,” and sang the theme to TV’s “Moonlighting.”




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Re: Al Jarreau, seven-time Grammy-winning singer, dies at 76
« Reply #1 on: 12 Feb 2017, 08:14 pm »
Just saw this on CNN.  Not too often, but occasionally Al is just what I need to listen to.  RIP

charmerci

Re: Al Jarreau, seven-time Grammy-winning singer, dies at 76
« Reply #2 on: 12 Feb 2017, 08:24 pm »
Used to love him when I started listening to jazz. Saw him in concert with David Sanborn.  :cry:

Early B.

Re: Al Jarreau, seven-time Grammy-winning singer, dies at 76
« Reply #3 on: 12 Feb 2017, 09:10 pm »
Masterful vocalist. He was the best in the business for a very long time.

Bob Stark

Re: Al Jarreau, seven-time Grammy-winning singer, dies at 76
« Reply #4 on: 12 Feb 2017, 11:16 pm »
Saw him live just outside Chicago in an outdoor concert with Take 6 in 1992 as the warm-up group.  That was an awesome double.   Take 6 wasn't real well known then.   Know you're getting old when many of your favorite musicians are dying off faster than you find new music to somewhat replace them.   It's sad.


Phil A

Re: Al Jarreau, seven-time Grammy-winning singer, dies at 76
« Reply #5 on: 13 Feb 2017, 12:33 am »
RIP - too many of these over the past year.

dB Cooper

Re: Al Jarreau, seven-time Grammy-winning singer, dies at 76
« Reply #6 on: 13 Feb 2017, 01:19 am »
Saw him live a couple times and OMG what a singer. Talking to a friend at work today, I found out he had been to a double bill concert with Jarreau and B.B. King where they performed together. Would have loved to have been at that one.

Gotta play some Al tonight.

brooklyn

Re: Al Jarreau, seven-time Grammy-winning singer, dies at 76
« Reply #7 on: 13 Feb 2017, 03:59 am »
I also seen him at Westbury Music Fair on Long Island NY many years ago.
What a talent.. Rest in peace Al.
« Last Edit: 19 Feb 2017, 08:35 pm by brooklyn »


jhm731

Re: Al Jarreau, seven-time Grammy-winning singer, dies at 76
« Reply #9 on: 19 Feb 2017, 08:06 pm »
Al Jarreau's Influence (1940-2017)

It was love at first listen when, encouraged by a friend, I heard the 1980 Warner Bros. release This Time, the album that introduced me to the artistry of Al Jarreau. By then Jarreau had already released four albums. And while those earlier albums tended to be a bit more "jazz," I was intrigued with the direction of This Time (and the two following albums, Breakin' Away and Jarreau), which fused pop and jazz, and featured the signature production skills of guitar wizard Jay Graydon. During those early '80s, I had a chance to meet Jarreau backstage at a concert in Gainesville, Florida, and somehow I knew during that first meeting that our acquaintance would grow to more than me just being a fan.

Jarreau's music was fresh and inspirational. It was the kind of music that inspired me to launch JAZZIZ.

Fast-forward 10 years, I launched a record label in the Verve Group in the early '90s with guitarist Lee Ritenour and Mark Wexler, who was then the vice-president of GRP. Our first release, A Twist of Jobim, which prominently featured Jarreau, was a huge hit and we subsequently signed Al to our label.

At a recent White House event, Al was one of the featured performers. He had difficulty walking—he was clearly frail—but his familiar voice elicited nothing but warm love and respect from the audience. It would be one of his last shows. He died on February 12th, at the age of 76, just two days after announcing his retirement from touring.

I'm just one person among many that Al Jarreau has influenced and thrilled with his music. He'll be missed and never forgotten.

Yours musically,

Michael Fagien
Founder of JAZZIZ